Eco Lifestyle and Home News – January 2024
Dear Friends, Clients, Business Associates and Neighbors,
January 2024, marks the 93rd edition of Eco Lifestyle and Home Newsletter produced by Kachina Mountain Realty. We offer Real Estate & Lifestyle news in the email newsletter covering Santa Fe, Taos County and beyond.
In this edition, we offer the following:
- Lifestyle: Balance
- Real Estate Market Update
- Santa Fe Real Estate News
- Taos County Real Estate News
- Home Decor Insights
- Sierra Updates!
- Calendar of Event Links for Santa Fe, Taos Ski Valley, Taos County & all around New Mexico
- Entertainment Links for Santa Fe, Taos County & around New Mexico
This year is going to be incredible!
Lifestyle
What is a well-balanced life? What would a balanced life look like? How does one achieve balance in the midst of all our responsibilities?
The answers evolve out of finding equilibrium. There is an absence of reactivity where one can respond to situations appropriately with ease.
When you find balance, you are in the state of equanimity. When you reach a state of equanimity, you feel calm, grounded, clear-headed, and motivated in the midst of all the turmoil, stress or activity. There is an evenness of mind. Equanimity is something that you are not born with, but something you can cultivate and apply in your day-to-day life. Developing mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation, takes practice, awareness and deep understanding.
Equanimity plays a major part of unconditional love. When we cultivate a balanced life, being in a state of equanimity, we no longer get to the point where we withhold our kindness or compassion from anyone. It doesn’t matter whether we like people or dislike them, whether they are skillful or unskillful, whether we know them or do not know them, whether we admire them or not, whether they’re similar to us or wildly different. The barriers that separate us from others dissolve when we recognize another person’s basic humanity — their deep-rooted wish to be happy, their even more deep-rooted wish to be free from suffering. It is our compassion then that keeps us in a balanced state; compassion for ourselves compassion for our family, friends, clients, our communities, strangers and all living beings.
One way to cultivate equanimity is to cultivate a meditation practice. Meditation trains & calms the mind, so that the “normal” reaction to stress is a response, not a knee jerk reaction. Another way to cultivate balance is to take a break from your routine and go for a long walk, clear your mind of thoughts and just walk and notice, without judgment. Calming the mind can lead to balance.
Here are a few other suggestions:
- Take care of yourself.
- Cultivate mental happiness, physical happiness & ease of well-being.
- Develop healthy eating, healthy living, healthy thinking.
- Maintain a positive attitude.
- Take time alone.
- Expand your awareness, learn new ways to nurture your well-being.
- Prioritize in all areas of your life: work, life, & play.
- Minimize toxic behavior, toxic situations & toxic people.
If you start cultivating balance in your life, you’ll find that this experience of equanimity is a very positive and vibrant state of being.
Thank you for reading our newsletter & feel free to pass it on to other kindred spirits. ~ Dianne McKenzie & Sierra
Real Estate Market
Experts say it could be a mixed bag. Most of 2024, will still be a sellers’ market, despite mortgage interest rates still higher than most would like.
According the National Association of Realtors, home prices are still costly due to lack of inventory. It’s keeping the market hot.
Many home owners refinanced when interest rates were historically low, and don’t want to sell.
Existing-home sales posted a slight gain last month, breaking a streak of five consecutive monthly declines and foreshadowing what is expected to be a more favorable real estate market in 2024.
The National Association of REALTORS® reported Wednesday that existing-home sales, which are completed transactions for single-family homes, townhomes, condos and co-ops, rose 0.8% in November. That figure is likely to grow in the coming months as borrowing costs fall, says NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. Mortgage rates averaged 6.95% last week after reaching nearly 8% earlier this fall.
Still, November existing-home sales were down 7.3% from a year earlier, NAR reports. Home prices, which are still rising due to low inventory, are pressing on buyers’ budgets. Prices were up 4% year over year in November, reaching a median of $387,600. “Only a dramatic rise in supply will dampen price appreciation,” Yun says.
My crystal ball, is blank and I interpret that to mean real estate will be about the same in 2024 as it has been at the end of 2023.
Santa Fe Real Estate News
Aldea Real Estate Stats
2023 Stats: Sold, Pending, Listed
SOLD: 22 Homes, DOM 30 | 4 Lots, DOM 132
PENDING: 1 Homes | 0 Lots
LISTED: 12 Homes, Avg $904,492 | 5 Lots, Avg $600,000 for all 5 lots
Aldea de Santa Fe consists of 345 acres, with 205 acres of perpetual open space with 13 miles of walking trails, basketball & tennis courts, community center, (which offers yoga classes, exercise equipment & gathering space for events), a local cafe, superbly located in the high-value northwest corridor of Santa Fe County, with easy access to Highway 599, all just 10 minutes from downtown Santa Fe.
Aldea Listings:
Las Campanas Real Estate Stats
2023 Stats: Sold, Pending, Listed
SOLD: 61 Homes, DOM 109 | 21 Lots, DOM 251
PENDING: 4 Homes | 1 Lots
LISTED: 21 Homes, Avg $2,619,714 | 28 Lots, Avg $265,212
Las Campanas is the only luxury master-planned community in Santa Fe. Stretching across 4,700 acres surrounded by pristine high desert, the community is comprised of exclusive neighborhoods. Las Campanas is also home to The Club at Las Campanas, where members can enjoy two award-winning Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses, the 46,000 square foot Hacienda Clubhouse, a peerless Equestrian Center and the Fitness & Tennis Center, which includes a luxurious spa.
There are currently 21 homes for sale in Las Campanas
- 0 Homes under $1,000,000
- 21 Homes over $1,000,000
There are currently 28 Lots for sale in Las Campanas
- 1 Lots under $100,000
- 27 Lots over $100,000
Marketing Properties, Not Just Listing Properties
If you are thinking of selling your property, why not list it with a realtor who will market the property, not just list it in the MLS? By actively marketing your property, the property gets the most exposure to other realtors and to the general public through online blogging, email campaigns & the typical MLS exposure.
Call me, Dianne, 505.603.9300, to discuss your property needs, or for a tour of Lots & Homes in Aldea, Las Campanas and the Santa Fe region. Taos Office: 575.776.7576
Visit the website for Santa Fe information: RealEstatePropertiesSantaFe.com
Visit the Kachina Mountain Realty company main website: KachinaMountainRealty.com
Taos Real Estate News
2023 Stats: Sold, Pending, Listed
*SOLD: 141 Homes, DOM 112 | 98 Lots, DOM 250
*PENDING: 18 Homes | 16 Lots
*LISTED: 67 Homes, Avg $1,025,692 | 148 Lots, Avg $293,322
* Areas tracked:
Lower North, Upper North, West North, Town of Taos, Taos Ski Valley, South West, South East
See map for areas » 
Taos is very different than Santa Fe in many ways. With a population of 5,763 people and many surrounding neighborhoods, Taos is the 39th largest community in New Mexico. The greater Taos area is made up of several unincorporated areas and neighborhoods that separates out as if they were their own destinations or towns. Unincorporated areas around Taos have distinctive names that represent the ancient traditions of naming a place for a stream or topographic feature. Arroyo Hondo, Arroyo Seco and El Prado are all such places. These are not towns and have no political jurisdiction, they are simply places that help folks zero in on a very specific neighborhood. Within Taos itself are many such neighborhoods that may comprise no more than six “blocks.”
Selling real estate in Taos county is challenging for sellers, buyers and realtors, as the typical closing time for a property averages 90+ days, compared to under 30 days in Santa Fe. I have closed properties in Santa Fe under 20 days. There is a shortage of title companies which the realtors can work with in Taos. The back log of properties waiting to close often creates buyers to back out and leave the sellers in the same cycle for closing when the next offer comes in. Many buyers become frustrated as their lenders charge additional hold fees or back out all together. Below are some statistics that highlight the problem.
Pioneer Title
As of August 26, 2022, Pioneer Title has opened an office in Taos at 204 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Suite A, Taos NM 87571, telephone: 866-294-4100. It remains to be seen if closing times will shorten in the coming months, but it is progress for realtors as well as sellers and buyers in Taos County.
I receive inquiries almost daily from out of town buyers who are researching homes in the Taos area. These buyer profiles are looking to live in a safe community, with a country atmosphere, small homes, with flexible spaces. They are wanting to move to the area, but can’t find the properties that offer amenities that don’t include huge HOA fees. They want walking trails, localized eateries, a small grocery store, community activities and a sense of neighborhood. They are either downsizing their home and retiring or wanting a second home. They are wanting to go smaller, but the quality of their lifestyle and home features are upscale. “Does such a community even exist?” they ask.
In the coming months, I will be featuring such a community.
If you have been thinking about selling your home, now is probably a good time. Inventory is low and the demand for quality homes is up.
If you been looking to buy a home, you are probably frustrated with the lack of quality homes on the market at any price point.
Call our Taos Office: 575.776.7576
Home Decor Insights
Pantone Color of the Year 2024
PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz
What is PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz?
PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz captures our desire to nurture ourselves and others. It’s a velvety gentle peach tone whose all-embracing spirit enriches mind, body, and soul.
“In seeking a hue that echoes our innate yearning for closeness and connection, we chose a color radiant with warmth and modern elegance. A shade that resonates with compassion, offers a tactile embrace, and effortlessly bridges the youthful with the timeless.” ~Leatrice Eiseman,Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute™
From Pantone:
“Subtly sensual, PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz is a heartfelt peach hue bringing a feeling of kindness and tenderness, communicating a message of caring and sharing, community and collaboration.”
“A warm and cozy shade highlighting our desire for togetherness with others or for enjoying a moment of stillness and the feeling of sanctuary this creates, PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz presents a fresh approach to a new softness. An appealing peach hue softly nestled between pink and orange, PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz inspires belonging, recalibration, and an opportunity for nurturing, conjuring up an air of calm, offering us a space to be, feel, and heal and to flourish from. Drawing comfort from PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz, we can find peace from within, impacting our wellbeing.”
“An idea as much as a feeling, PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz awakens our senses to the comforting presence of tactility and cocooned warmth. Sensitive but sweet and airy, PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz evokes a new modernity. While centered in the human experience of enriching and nurturing the mind, body, and soul, it is also a quietly sophisticated and contemporary peach with depth whose gentle lightness is understated but impactful, bringing beauty to the digital world.”
“Poetic and romantic, a clean peach tone with a vintage vibe, PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz reflects the past yet has been refashioned with a contemporary ambiance.”
Inspiration:
For ideas on decorating with autumn in mind, check out Pinterest and explore a whole new way to spend your time online and check out my Pinterest page: KachinaRealty Happy pinning! 
While you are surfing the “net” check out Flipboard for a variety of news and lifestyle reading.Sierra
CFO, (Chief Fun Officer)
Our 4.9 year old female silver standard poodle
December 1-30, 2023
No SNOW most of December. Winter snow and cold temperatures are not in Taos this month. So sad as I look forward to snow all year!
I weigh & measure Sierra once a month, so here are her stats as of December 2023: 14″ collar, girth: 24″, height to shoulder: 25″ weight: 34lbs.
Sierra’s web page: www.diannemckenzie.com/sierra
More photos will be continually posted on her own web page, so check back monthly, as we chronicle her life with us!
Sierra’s Videos »
You really need to watch Sierra’s videos as they capture her spirit!
Here is the link to Sierra’s Videos »
Sierra’s 1st video explains who she is and her new role at Kachina Mountain Realty. In Sierra’s 2nd video she talks about Dianne’s role at Kachina Mountain Realty in the era of COVID-19. In Sierra’s 3rd video, Sierra talks about selling and buying real estate during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Sierra’s 4th video she talks about how staying safe in the era of COVID-19.
As you probably already know, Sierra is the CFO (chief fun officer) at Kachina Mountain Realty. Sierra talks to you today about using your imagination in Sierra’s 5th video. When Sierra turned 2 years old on March 18, 2021, people asked what she sounded like now that she was older. While she does not have a lot to say right now, she is quick and to the point, as she starts her 2nd year as CFO, in Sierra’s 6th video. Currently Sierra is not recording videos at this time.
Calendar of Events
New Mexico has long been a center for arts, culture, classes and gourmet food. With such a strong art market, there are hundreds galleries to explore and experience, along with a wide selection of thriving restaurants. Our Museums feature culture, history and traditions of the region and the world. Santa Fe, Taos County and beyond have something scheduled every day & night of the week, all year long.
Santa Fe »
Entertainment
If there’s one thing you can count on when spending time in New Mexico, it’s the treasured experiences and wide selection of entertainment: music venues, great sporting events, theatrical and musical entertainment as well as year-round festivals.
From festivals, music concerts and dance performances to theatrical offerings by local and touring groups, the performing artists work hard to keep its locals and visitors entertained by both New Mexico performers and acclaimed stars from around the world.
Santa Fe »
About Kachina Mountain Realty
I am passionate about real estate development. I consider myself a “Dream Maker”, and strive to help my clients manifest their dreams and lifestyle goals.
I believe that, “…the dreams which accompany all human actions should be nurtured by the places in which people live and work”.
To promote this possibility, I encourages my clients to develop and share their dreams and lifestyle goals as part of the process of selling, buying or investing in property.
I have over thirty years of business experience as an executive producer, web architect, social media marketer, business developer, architecture assistant, real estate marketing developer and real estate consultant.
I am a licensed real estate qualifying broker for Kachina Mountain Realty & an accredited ACRE® real estate consultant. I have worked in the Santa Fe & Taos real estate market for years. I specialize in working with buyers and sellers who are looking for a solid real estate investment.
Contact me, Dianne McKenzie, for your real estate transactions & let me help you manifest your dreams!
I am readily available by cell phone, text, (505.603.9300) & email. I return calls promptly, seven days a week!
Taos Office: 575.776.7576
Go Green:
Dianne & Sierra
